Washing-machine.



G. W. DUNGAN.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED 15mm, 1911.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

COLUMDXA PLANOGRAPH CDHWASHINGTONI n. c.

GEORGE W. DUNGAN', 0F STRASBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed February 2, 191.1. Serial No. 606,279.

To all whom it may concern:

l 3e it known that I, GEORGE W. DUNGAN, cltizen of the United States, residing at Strasburg, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines, and has reference to an attachment applicable to a tub, which can be easily attached or removed from the same.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple apparatus which can be readily and quickly attached to tubs varying in size, and which may be operated either by hand or by a motor.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete washing machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section taken through the same; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the lower end of the plunger rod, the parts being separated from one another; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the outer bracket for engagement with the tub; and, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the packing ring employed.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the reference numeral 10 designates a suitable support upon which is disposed a tub 11 of any ap proved form.

The improved attachment includes a lower presser-board 12 having perforations 13 and transverse ribs 14: upon its upper face between the perforations. The presser board 12 is adapted to fit snugly within the tub 11 and is held in position in spaced relation from the bottom of the tub 11 by a plurality of spring arms 15. The spring arms 15 comprise metallic L-shaped members having their horizontal arms secured against the under side of the presser-board 12 and having their depending arms bulged outwardly for yielding engagement against the inner sides of the tub 11. The depending arms of 1 the members 15 are curved in and up to' provide lower rounded faces adapted to guide the spring arms into the lower end of the tub as the resser-board 12 is pushed down therein. The presser-board 12 is thus yieldingly held within the tub and can be quickly withdrawn from the same. The sprlng arms 15 are so bulged outwardly from the marginal edge of the presser-board 12 that they adapt themselves to tubs varying 1n slze.

At one side of the tub 11, and engaging over the edge thereof, is a hinge-clamp 16 in the form of a U-shape casting having the flanges thereof engaging against the opposite sides of the wall of the tub and being held in such position by a thumb screw 17. The hinge-clamp 16 is of adaptable form to fit snugly over the upper edge of the tub. An upstanding lug 18 is carried upon the central portion of the hinge-clamp 16 and hingedly supports the lower end of a link 19 by means of a thumb screw 20. The link 19 comprises a flattened bar engaging at its lower end against one side of the lug 18 and which is twisted midway of its ends to position the plane of the upper end of the link at right angles to the plane of its lower end. The upper end of the link 19 is forked, as at 21, to receive the inner extremity of an operating lever or arm 22 which extends across the tub 11. A thumb screw 23 passes through the fork 21 and through the inner end of the arm 22. A cross bar 24. is attached at one end to the opposite side of the lug 18 and upon the thumb screw 20. The cross bar 2 1 extends over the upper open end of the tub 11 and is attached to a clamp 25 carried upon the upper edge of the tub 11 and opposite to the hinge-clamp 16.

The clamp 25 comprises a casting having a fork 26 at its lower end engaging over the edge of the tub and being provided with a thumb screw 27 adapted to bind against the side of the tub and hold the clamp 25 in position. The upper end of the clamp 25 is formed adjacent one of its edges with a vertical slot 28 in which is received the outer end of the cross bar 2 1. The clamp 25 is provided with an ear 29 projecting outwardly from its upper edge and at the outer side of the slot 28. A U-shaped latch 30 is positioned against the outer side of the clamp 25 and has the long arm thereof engaging over the upper edge of the cross bar 24 and beneath the ear 29. The short arm of the latch 30 terminates abruptly against the adjacent side of the cross bar 24 to hold the same from lateral vibration in the slot 28. A thumb screw 31 is carried upon the clamp 25 and passes through the inner end of the latch 30 to bind the same in position against the clamp 25.

The cross bar 24 is provided midway of its ends with two series of transverse openings 32 which are arranged in spaced relation longitudinally therein and receive thumb screws 33. The thumb screws 33 are secured through a strap 34 which is disposed longitudinally against one side of the bar 24 and is provided at its central portion with an outwardly looped socket to slidably receive a plunger rod 35. The upper extremity of the plunger rod 35 is forked to hingedly engage the lever 22, to which it is secured by a detachable pin 36. The lower end of the plunger 35 is reduced by cutting away one side thereof to form a depending tongue 37 provided with a longitudinal rib 38. A connector 39 is carried upon the lower end of the plunger rod 35 and is connected to a casting having diverging arms 40 which are apertured to receive rivets which pass therethrough and into a plunger or upper presser-board 41 disposed within the tub 11. The connector 39 is formed with an upstanding tongue 42 disposed in opposite relation to the tongue 37 and adapted for engagement thereagainst, the tongue 42 being pro vided with a longitudinal groove 43 to receive the rib 38. A thumb screw 44 passes through the tongues 37 and 42 to bind the same together. The upper face of the connector 39 and the lower end of the plunger rod 35 are formed with abruptly terminating faces to provide a snug joint between the connector and the plunger rod. The plunger 41 is of circular form, and corresponds in size to the presser-board 12, and is adapted for vertical and rotary movement thereover. The plunger 41 is provided with perforations 45 through which water passes during the movement of the plunger, and is provided with depending spacing legs 46 to hold apart the plunger and the lower presser-board.

In Fig. 5 is disclosed in detail the packing ring 47 which is composed of a plurality of arcuate sections which are hinged in pairs at their adjacent ends by rivets 48 and have their outer ends free to admit of the expansion and adjustment of the packing ring within the tub 11. As will be seen from Fig. 2 the packing ring 47 is disposed between the presser-boards 12 and 41 and has its outer edge resting against the inner wall of the tub. The purpose of this packing ring is in holding the articles being washed between the presserboards and preventing the same from moving up about the marginal edge of the upper presser-looard 41. The ring 47 may be formed of any number of sections and may be opened only at one end if it is found convenient in the use and manufacture of the same.

In Fig. 1 is shown an electric motor 49 having a pinion 50 upon one end which meshes with a large gear 51 carried above the motor 49 and which is in the form of a disk. A connecting rod 52 is pivoted at its lower end eccentric upon the disk 51 and has its upper end hinged to the lower extremity of a vertically sliding rod 53. A strap 54 holds the rod 53 in position against the side of the tub 11. A clamp 55 is carried upon the upper end of the rod 53 and engages over the handle 56 of the lever 22.

In operation, when the motor 49 is actuated it rotates the disk 51 and effects the vertical movement of the rod 53. The motion of the rod 53 is communicated through the clamp 55 to the lever 22 which moves the plunger rod 35 up and down through the strap 34 within the tub 11. The plunger rod 35 carries the plunger or upper washer-board 41 up and down within the tub 11 and effects the circulation of the water within the tub to produce the washing action. When it is desired to rotate the upper presser-board 41 the thumb screw 23 is released from the inner end of the operating lever 22 and is swung down about the ear 18 out of the path of the lever 22. The clamp 55 is released from the handle 56 when the operator moves the operating lever 22 in a rotary path rotating the presserboard 41.

It is readily seen that the device is in the form of an attachment to a tub and that it i can be applied to tubs varying in size as the clamp 25 is not fixedly attached to the outer end of the cross bar 24 but simply engages against the sides and edges of the same to hold it from further lateral movement. By providing the series of openings 32, the thumb screws 33 can be adjusted longitir dinally upon the bar 24 to locate the strap 34 substantially over the central portion of the tub.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A washing machine including a tub, clamps engaging over the edges of the tub and at the opposite sides thereof, one of said clamps having an upwardly projecting lug, a cross bar engaging over the tub and having one end attached to the lug, a link hinged upon the lug and extending up therefrom, a projecting lever pivoted upon the upper end of the link and extending over the cross bar, a plunger rod depending from the central portion of the lever, a strap adjustably secured against the side of the cross bar and engaging about the plunger rod, and a latch carried upon the opposite one of said clamps for adjustable engagement with the other end of the cross bar.

2. The combination with a tub, of a cross bar carried over the upper end of the tub, a vertical plunger rod mounted upon the cross bar for adjustment longitudinally thereon, a handle hinged midway of its ends upon the upper end of the plunger rod, and a hinged link extending up from one end of the cross bar and having connection to the adjacent end of the handle.

3. A tub attachment including a cross bar, clamps at each end of the cross bar one of which is adjustable for adaptation to the size of the tub, a plunger rod mounted for vertical movement upon the cross bar and adapted for adjustment longitudinally thereon whereby the plunger rod is centered in the tub and an operating handle connect ed to the plunger rod.

4. A Washing machine including a tub, a fixed bracket carried at one side of the tub, a cross bar mounted at one end upon the bracket, a link hinged at its lower end upon the bracket, a second bracket carried upon the opposite side of the tub for adjustably receiving the other end of the cross bar, a

bearing disposed upon the cross bar midway of its ends and adapted for adjustment longitudinally upon the cross bar, a vertical plunger rod carried through the bearing for positioning in the central portion of the tub, and an operating handle hinged upon the upper end of the link and having connection at its central portion to the upper end of the plunger rod.

5. A washing machine including a tub, a presser-board fitting snugly in the bottom of the tub, spring arms carried against the under side of the presscr-board for yielding engagement with the sides of the tub to hold the presser-board snugly in the tub, a plunger disposed in the tub over the presserboard, a rod connected to the plunger, a crossbar disposed over the upper edges of the tub, and a bearing mounted for longitudinal adjustment upon the cross bar and for receiving the plunger rod to center the same in the tub.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. DUNGAN. [11. s]

Witnesses:

GEO. W. HENsnL, FRED. L. HoMsHnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

